cheetham



No. 609,732. Patented Aug. 23, I898. F. A. CHEETHAM &. R. BDSTOCK.APPARATUS FOR SIGNALING ON LOCOMOTIVES.

(Application filed Jan. 18 1898.) Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet l.

Rm: PETERS co. vnoro-umou wAsmnsmu n c No. 609,732; Pateqted Aug. 23,I898.

F. A. CHEETHAM 8|. B. BDSTOCK.

APPARATUS FOR SIGNALING 0N LOCOMOTIVES.

(Application filed Jan. 18, 1898.) (No Model.) 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 2- Wemums virus :0. wow-ummmsmnmw. u/ c.

No. 609,732. Patented Aug.23, I898.

F. A. CHEETHAM G. R. BOSTOCK. APPARATUS FOR SIGNALING ON LOCOMOTIVES.

(Application filed Jan. 18, 1898.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

m: Mom-us PETERS cc. mmaumo. wnsmuomm n c.

No. 609,732. Patented Aug. 23, I898. F. CHEETHAM & n. sosmcx. APPARATUSFOR SIGNALING UN LOCOMOTIVES.

(Application filed Jan. 18 1898.) (No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

we Noam wzrzns co. worouwa, wasumm'on. u. c

V NlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK ARTHUR CHEETHAM, OF RASTRICK, AND RALPH BOSTOCK, OF

BRIGHOUSE, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR SIGNALING ON LOCOMOTIVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 609,732, dated. August23, 1898.

Application filed January 18, 1898. Serial No. 667,099. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK ARTHUR CHEETHAM, residing at Rastrick, andRALPH BOSTOOK, residing at Brighouse, in the county of York, England,subjects of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, have invented acertain new and useful Improvementin Apparatus for Signaling onLocomotives, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in apparatus for automaticallysignaling or indicating to the engineer on a locomotive-engine as towhether the road is clear or otherwise, the object being to enable thesignalman from his cabin to signal to the engineer on the engine,dispensing, if desired, with the signals and semaphores (except the homesignal) as now used and also obviating the use of fog-signals, as, beingon the engine, the signals can be seen by the engineer whatever thestate of the weather. The apparatus is equally applicable for signalingto the engineer when working or repairing gangs are on the line and sogiving warning that the line is not clear. At the same time that the signals or semaphores on the engine are against the engineer an electricbell is caused to ring and will continue to ring until the engineerresets the signal or indicator.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation on liney y of Fig.2, showing the box containing the signals, indicaters, orsemaphores which are carried on the engine. Fig. 2 is a plan on line ccof Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is 'a section of Fig. 1 on line general arrangement ofthe apparatus. Fig. 4" is a detail of a part shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 5 isa sectional side view of the rails, showing the method of operating andcontrolling the plates or levers. Fig. 6 is a plan showing one of therails and two of the plates or levers.

According to this invention we employ one, two, three, four, or anydesired number of small signals, indicators, or semaphores 1 1, inclosedin a glass-fronted box 1 fixed inside the locomotive in a positioneasily visible to the engineer. Each signal or semaphore 1 is connectedby links 2 to weighted fallers or strikers 3, free to move up and downbetween pillars which form slides or bearings 4. On

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical view of the the under side of each faller orstriker 3 is a finger or contact-maker 5, and below each faller orstriker is a recess 6, in which is anothercontact-maker 7. The weightedfaller or striker 3 is by spring 8 and wire 9 connected to one pole of asmall electric battery 10 on the engine, and the lower contact-maker 7is connected by another wire to the opposite pole of the battery 10.Each of the weighted strikers or fallers 3 is provided at the back witha catch orprojection 11. Alever 12, having a corresponding catch orprojection 13, engages with the catch 11 on the faller or striker 3 andholds it up. Each of the levers 12 is connected to a crank or arm 14 ona shaft or rod 15 by means of a connecting rod or link 16. Each shaft orrod 15 has a crank 17 on one end, which cranks are connected by pendentrods 18 and links or levers 19 to levers 20, on which are runners 21,free to pivot in the bracket 22, fixed to the under side of thelocomotive.

Between the rails forming the permanent way are three or four plates orlevers 24, preferably inclined at each end, one being used for eachsignal or semaphore 1, and each plate or lever 24 has underneath it aneccentrio 0r cam 23, by which it can be raised or lowered by the"signalman from his cabin in the ordinary manner, it being connectedthereto by wires and levers and operated in the reverse direction by aweighted lever 25, as usual.

If the signalman lowers one of the plates or levers 24, the runners 21on the engine will clear the plate and no change of the signal takesplace; but if the plate or lever 24 is raised then one of the runners21, coming into contact therewith, willbe raised and will pull down thependent rod 18, and the lever 12 will release the faller or striker 3,which falls and completes the circuit of the battery and causes a bellto commence ringing, and the faller 3, being connected by links 2 to asemaphore 1, will at the same time raise the latter and indicate to thedriver inthe usual manner. signal is, reset by the driver raising theweighted faller 3 by moving the hand-lever 26 and giving a partialturnto the rod 27, on which are arms 28, connected by slotted links The bellwill continue to ring until the l 29 on the tops of the strikers Thisraises all the strikers which may be down, but those that are up are notmoved, as the arms 28 move up the slots in the link 29. The catch-levers12 are pulled toward the strikers 3 to catch and hold them up by meansof spiral springs 30, one being connected to each lever 12.

There is one. signal for the home signal and two for thedistance-signal, so that the latter is shown on or off, as the-case maybet'. a, if the signalman wishes to signal all clear at the distance hewill pull down one lever, which will raise one of the plates to operatethe distance-semaphore on the locomotive and indicate all right, or bypulling another lever in his box he will raise the plate for operatingthe signal or sema phore line blocked. By this means the driver willalways be warned when he passes the distance-signal, and by connectingthe plates by wires to anlelectric bell in the signalmans cabin andcompleting the circuit by the locomotive passing over same the signalmanis warned that the signals are in working order and operative.

The signals or indicators may be used independently or in conjunctionwith the ordinary semaphores, which will be operated by the same leverand at the same time that the plates are put-into action by theSignalman, the wire or chain from the cabin being divided, so that oneend passes to the ordinary semaphore and the other to the plate.

If working gangs are at work on the line, a plate or lever is secured onthe permanent Way, and a warning will thus be given to the driver ofevery engine coming along the line, who will in turn warn the workers bywhistle or otherwise.

It will be understood that there is for each indicator its separate andindependent connection with its own runner beneath the locomotive andthat there is an independent lever or plate for each, and the latter arelaid parallel to one another, but not lineable unless for actuating thesame signal. In order that the engine-driver may be checked and itascertained that he has reset the indicators after passing such signal,the lever for reversing the indicators may be connected to. an

ordinary register or meter which registers the number of times theindicators have been reset.

What We claim is 1. In an apparatus for signaling in locomotives, thecombination with a weighted faller and a semaphore connected thereto,carried by thelocomotive of means for supporting said faller; a shaftand connections for releasing said faller; a pivoted lever carried bythe locomotive, connections between said lever and said shaft foroperating the latter; a plate situated between the tracks, and means foroperating same to bring it into contact with the pivoted lever duringthe travel of the locomotive, so that through the said shaft, the

faller is released and the semaphore operated; and means for raising thefaller, substantially as described.

2. In apparatus for signaling on locomotives the combination with aweighted faller and a semaphore connected thereto carried by thelocomotive, of means for guiding said faller, a catch-lever for holdingsame, a shaft for operating the catchlever, connections between saidcatch-lever and the shaft, a pivoted lever carried by the locomotive,connections between said lever and the shaft, a plate situated betweenthe tracks and means for operating same to bring it in contact with thepivoted lever during the travel of the locomotive, so that through theshaft, the catchlever of the faller is removed and the semaphoreoperated, means for raising the faller and means for replacing thecatch-lever substantially as described.

3. In apparatus for signaling on locomotives the combination withsemaphores 1 carried by the locomotive of fallers 3 guides for same,means for holding and releasing the fallers, a slotted link 29 carriedby each faller, a rod 27, a series of arms carried thereby engaging withthe slotted links and a handle for operating the shaft to restore suchfallers as have been operated substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus for signaling on locomotives, the combination with aweighted faller and a semaphore connected thereto carried by thelocomotive; of means for guiding said faller; a catch-lever for holdingthe faller; a

shaft for operating the catch-lever, connections between saidcatch-lever and the shaft; devices actuated by striking an obstructionupon the track, connected to said shaft for operating the latter; aplate situated between the tracks, and means for operating the same tobring it into position to be struck by said devices upon the locomotive,whereby the catch-lever of the faller is released and the semaphoreoperated; means for raising the faller; and means for replacing thecatchlever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

FRANK ARTHUR OH EETI-IAM. RALPH BOSTOOK.

Witnesses:

I. B. HOWARD, GERVASE APPLEYARD.

